The most unexpectedly Australian actor keeps getting hotter in this interview

VIKINGS star Travis Fimmel makes it clear he isn’t trying to be sexy, but somehow that exactly what ends up happening in this interview.

TRAVIS Fimmel doesn’t mince words.

“I never gave a s**t about what I looked like,” the Aussie model-turned-actor best-known for his role as Ragnar Lothbrok in the TV series Vikings, tells news.com.au.

“That’s something that other people talk about but that stuff never crosses my mind.”

The ruggedly sexy fan favourite stars in the upcoming adventure flick, Warcraft, based on the popular video game.

In the film, Fimmel’s fighting moves have been praised as “graceful, like a dancer’s”.

He laughs loudly. “Well, that was accidental. I can’t dance for s**t, mate. Sorry to disappoint, but I didn’t do that on purpose. I’d rather be a guy that can build a house or fix a car than be able to walk like a ballet dancer.”

Travis Fimmel in Vikings Picture: Supplied

The youngest of three brothers, Fimmel, 36, was born in Echuca, Victoria, and grew up on a dairy farm. His father is a farmer, his mother a nurse. One can only imagine what his family thinks of his Hollywood career.

“They still laugh at me. It’s very entertaining for them because they know who I am, of course. They still can’t believe I’m doing what I’m doing. Now my dad wants me to do a cowboy film,” he smiles. “Actually, my dad wanted me to be a farmer but I told him, ‘You don’t pay me enough’.”

SUNDAY TV COLUMN ONLY SBS drama series, Vikings stars former Australian models Alyssa Sutherland and Travis Fimmel. Pic supplied/SBS.

His hobbies have never veered far from his humble beginnings and his down-to-earth sensibility, along with a typically Aussie sense of humour, have remained intact.

“I’ve always built furniture and done farm work,” he explains. Upon making the assumption that he’s good with his hands, he jokes, “Oh, that’s a bit personal.”

Now that he’s entered the brutally violent world of Warcraft, he’s had to familiarise himself with the gaming world.

“I was never a gamer, to be honest. Growing up, I was always outside. My parents were too strict about making me work when I was a kid, though my brothers and I would have probably played it if our parents had bought it for us. But now that I know more about it, I feel like I’m the only guy that had never played the game. It’s like 100 million people have played it. It’s ridiculous.”

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Travis Fimmel as Commander Anduin Lothar, in a scene from the film, "Warcraft," based on the Blizzard Entertainment video game. (Universal Pictures via AP)

As opposed to Vikings, which is historically based, Warcraft could be more described as an adventure fantasy. Was that genre appealing to him?

“I have a lot of fantasies, yeah.” He grins. “I like women.”

And it seems women like him. It was widely reported that his Calvin Klein billboard caused car accidents around the world in 2002 thanks to distracted female drivers checking out his image.

He deflects the compliment, “Oh, I don’t know if that was true. That was just something people said.” He’s also quick to add, “I only did that one modelling job.”

16/05/2002 SSIMAGE: NOVEMBER, 2001 : Model Travis Fimmel in Calvin Klein underwear advertisiement, 11/01. Adverising / Fashion p16//NOVEMBER, 2001 : Model Travis Fimmel in Calvin Klein underwear advertisiement, 11/01. Adverising / Fashion

He’s been linked to such glamorous women as Rachel Hunter, Mei Melancon, Jessica Miller, Nicole Appleton and has had rumoured relationships with Joy Bryant and porn star Ceara Lynch.

Currently single, he says, “I’ve been misunderstood when it comes to women. I’ve got a big heart and a little brain. But I love women being women, there’s something about their skin,” he smiles. “I do love strong independent women but they are definitely complicated.”

travis Fimmel

Interestingly, Fimmel says he’s painfully shy. “I’ve always been really s**t in auditions. Seriously. I can’t stand them and 90 per cent of the jobs I have gotten is me putting myself on tape because I get too nervous in front of people,” he explains.

“I am so insecure about being in front of people. As a kid just reading in front of the class was horrifying for me.”

Considering his career is all about being in front of people, he’s had to cultivate a certain comfort level in order to do his job. “It’s different being in front of the camera versus a group of people. I’m a slow learner, a late bloomer. I only started acting when I was about 21. I didn’t want to do it as a kid but now I am just happy to be employed.”

While many actors talk about their chosen career as a serious vocation, Fimmel’s no-nonsense attitude is refreshing. “I think I discovered I wanted to be an actor when I got the first pay cheque.”

Unsurprisingly, he’s not seeking out every opportunity to self-promote or be seen at the right places. “I don’t go to fancy places, I do my own stuff but it feels like everybody wants to to go those places to get seen. I’m with a different sort of crowd. I don’t like talking about acting and if you hang around with actors, that’s what happens.”

Nonetheless, he thoroughly enjoys his day job on the successful Vikings series, now in season four. “I like playing flawed heroes,” he says.

Despite his macho image, he insists, “I wouldn’t make a good viking in real life. I would have died in my first battle, for sure.”

Travis Fimmel in Vikings. Supplied by SBS